Corn-planter



G. A. FERGUSON. CORN PLANTER.

Patented July 1, 1890.

('NO Model.)

dqlm 7! t? l I u:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE ALBERT FERGUSON, OF HAVRE, IOVA.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part ,of Letters Patent No. 431,040, dated July 1, 1'890.

Application filed February 27, 1890, Serial No. 342,008. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ALBERT FER- GUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Havre, in the county of Wlashington and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters; and' I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in corn-planters; and it has for its obj ect, among others, to provide an improved device of this character in which the parts shall be readily assembled, the corn dropped regularly, the rows marked, and all the parts operated by the driver without the necessity of leaving his seat.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will bespecilically defined by the claims appended.

The novelty resides in the peculiar combinations and th-e construction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a top plan of myimproved planter. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the line of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is across-section on the line y y of Fig. l.

Like lettersof reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a frame, which may be of any of the known forms for devices of this character. It is provided with suitable bearings for the axle A which carry the tractionwheels A2, which also may be of any of the well-known forms of construction. Suitable clutch mechanism is provided, with a lever within convenient reach of the driver and adapted to be operated to throw the device into and out of gear in a manner common in this class of devices. I therefore have not shown this mechanism in detail.

B is the operating-wheel, fast on the axle and provided upon diametrically-opposite side faces with the wedge-shaped cam-blocks B',

which are designed to engage the arms of thelever which actuates the dropping-slides. I have, shown but two of these blocks on the wheel, because only two will ordinarily be used; but it is evident that more may be used when it is desired to drop the seed oftener without departing from the spirit of the 1nvention, and it is also equally asevident that but one might be employed when it was desired to have the hills farther apart. As shown, the slides will be actuated so as to deposit two hills at each revolution of the wheel.

The forward part of the frame may be constructed 4in any of the approved ways for this class of devices. Itmay be provided with furrow-opening runners, as sometimes used,

or these may be dispensed with; but when runners are used they are attached to the forward portion of the frame, so as to be adjustable vertically.

O is the'drivers seat, and D the seed-boxes, supported at the forward part of the machine in any suitable way and provided with dropslides C', which are adapted to move freely in guides in the boxes in the usual way. llhese slides are connected to move together in any suitable manner, and are provided near their center or connection with a plate D', provided with a vertical elongated slot d to allow the connectingyoke (hereinafter described) to play vertically without moving the slides.

On the forward cross-bar c of the frame there is arranged a plate b, with a space between the said bar and plate, and between this plate and bar, and adapted to work in the space therebetween, is a yoke E, pivoted on a vertical pivot-pin passing through the plate and partially through the bar, with a tongue or arm a in front working in the slot of the plate D', and at the rear end bifurcated, as shown best in Fig. l, and between which bifurcations the wedge-shaped blocks or cams of the wheel pass, striking one or the other of the bifurcations of the yoke as the wheel revolves, thus alternately moving the dropperslide, as will be 'readily understood.

The face wheel or portion of the clutch is IOO formed with slanting cogs, so that the wheel can Abe thrown forward while in gear to bring the wedge-shaped blocks in proper position to drop at the right point. This forward movement of the Wheel is accomplished by means of the lever G, pivoted to the lug e on the plate b and provided with a swinging arm or detent f, designed to engage the said cogs of the said face-Wheel when desired.

G is a spiral spring attached at its ends to the side bar of the frame and bearing against the face-Wheel to hold the same in place, thus exerting a yielding influence on the same, whereby breakage is avoided.

H is a sprocket-wheel on the axle.

I are rearwardly-extending arms or bars connected to the axle by means of straps g, which encircle the axle, the rear ends of the arms or bars having bearings for a transverse shaft J, the ends of which extend. beyond the said arms and carry the markers K,which are connected With the said shaft, so as to rotate therewith. Motion is imparted to the transverse shaft through the medium of the endless sprocket-chain L, which passes around the sprocket-Wheel on the axle and around the sprocket-Wheel h on the said transverse shaft J. This transverse shaft is so arranged with its markers that as the shaft revolves, both the said shaft and the Wedges being driven by the said source, the drive-wheels, the hills are marked si multaneonsly with the dropping of the seed. The sprocket-wheels should be so proportioned as to size as to mark the hills correctly.

The arms or bars I are suspended by means of chains M, so that they maybe raised or lowlered when desired.

The markers are each form ed with two knifeedges, so they will not clog with dirt and offer less resistance to the forward movement of the machine. They mark on each side of the hill as they turn over.

What I claim as new is l. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the frame, the wheel B, and the dropper-slide, of the plate b on the forward cross-bar c of the frame and formed to one side of the center with lugs e, the plate D on the slide, the yoke E, pivoted between the plate b and cross-bar c and slotted at its rear end, With its forward end formed into a tongue a, working in a vertical slot in the plate D', the clutch on the axle, the rearwardly-extending arms I, the straps g, connecting the same to the axle, the chains M, suspending said arms from the frame, and the lever G, pivoted in the lugs e of the plate D and carrying a detent f, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the frame, the axle, Wheels A2, and Wheel B, of the clutch on the axle, the arms I, pivotally connected with the axle and carrying the markers, the chains suspending the said arms from the frame, the clutch-operating lever, the face-wheel of the clutch, formed with cogs, the lever G, pivoted on the forward cross-bar c of the frame, and

the swinging arm or detent f, carried by said lever and engaging said cogs, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE ALBERT FERGUSON., Witnesses:

J. A. YOUNG, ANDREW FERGUSON. 

